Egnater Tweaker or Jet City JCA22H

Nikko · July 2016

Could be in the market for another new head in the near future, and ive previously looked at the Jet City JCA22H. I have recently though seen a bit about the Egnater Tweaker 15w Heads and they have got my interest.

Any of you fine fellows used either/both of these? Any real world experience? Issues? Good things? Bad things?

It would mainly be used at home, but it does appear there could be some opportunities for me to do some sessions locally, and my current head will not be powerful enough.

Cheers

Nick

digitalscream · July 2016

I haven't used the Tweaker, but I have used the JCA22H extensively. What can I say? They're basically the perfect amp if - like me - you like two gain-y channels. The only amp I've come across that beats it is the Kraken, which I now use. Why does the Kraken beat it? Well, the second channel is voiced differently on the Kraken, whereas they're very similar on the JCA22H, it's just that the overdrive channel has (lots) more gain, and the switching arrangement is more flexible (4 power modes, channels independent from the master volumes - both footswitchable - and the solo override).

If my Kraken ever died beyond repair and I could only afford a JCA22H, I'd obviously be a bit aggrieved but I wouldn't feel like I'd lost a huge amount.

I've gigged the 22H in a large-ish hall with no PA backup before, and it still managed admirably.

Nikko · July 2016

Nice one, thanks. You say that both channels are gain-y. Does that mean you cant really get good cleans?

peteri · July 2016

deleted. Editor issues

Nikko · July 2016

Ha ha ok, maybe I should treat any further comments you make with a little suspicion then?

digitalscream · July 2016

Nikko said:

Nice one, thanks. You say that both channels are gain-y. Does that mean you cant really get good cleans?

Oh, you can - but the gain has to be pretty low on the crunch/normal channel to get cleans out of it. Don't expect to get full-on Fendery cleans, but you'll definitely be able to get the kind of clean that breaks a little when you dig in.

Alternatively, you could try the Jet City Custom 22 - it's a JCA22H which Martin Kidd had his mitts all over, so the clean channel is a "proper" clean channel, and the drive channel is a bit Cornford/Victory-esque. It also has an instrument-level loop, as opposed to the line-level loop on the JCA22H.

thomasross20 · July 2016

JCA22H managed admirably at what volume - maxed out?

thomasross20 · July 2016

Jesus that Jet City is only £235 or so!

Nikko · July 2016

digitalscream said:

Nikko said:

Nice one, thanks. You say that both channels are gain-y. Does that mean you cant really get good cleans?

Oh, you can - but the gain has to be pretty low on the crunch/normal channel to get cleans out of it. Don't expect to get full-on Fendery cleans, but you'll definitely be able to get the kind of clean that breaks a little when you dig in.

Alternatively, you could try the Jet City Custom 22 - it's a JCA22H which Martin Kidd had his mitts all over, so the clean channel is a "proper" clean channel, and the drive channel is a bit Cornford/Victory-esque. It also has an instrument-level loop, as opposed to the line-level loop on the JCA22H.

Ahh ok, I do like a clean channel that breaks up slightly, but would also like the option of a 'clean' clean channel. The Custom 22 is also a great price, so ill look at one of those as well.

digitalscream · July 2016

thomasross20 said:

JCA22H managed admirably at what volume - maxed out?

At its clean limit - around 5.5 out of 9.

Nikko · July 2016

thomasross20 said:

Jesus that Jet City is only £235 or so!

From what I can tell they are great value for money. Im all for a bit of that!

digitalscream · July 2016

Nikko said:

thomasross20 said:

Jesus that Jet City is only £235 or so!

From what I can tell they are great value for money. Im all for a bit of that!

Totally. As far as I'm concerned, they're the best-value amp manufacturer on the planet. As I said, I've played amps that cost 10 times the price (and more), and the Jet City amps still won.

Nikko · July 2016

Makes me wonder though...whats the catch?

thomasross20 · July 2016

Have to say I prefer the sound of the Victory's going by YouTube clips but tough to call through vids like that.

digitalscream · July 2016

Nikko said:

Makes me wonder though...whats the catch?

There isn't one, really. Well, unless you count the fact that the valves you get in them are cheap - I forget the power valve brand, but the preamp valves are all totally unbranded Chinese ones.

Also, the transformers are pretty close to tolerance (particularly the power transformer), so swapping valve types in the power section is generally a no-no. I managed to get KT66s working in my JCA50H, but it got quite hot and a short in the valve burned out a resistor on the board.

Aside from that, build quality is excellent. Don't take my word for it, ask @ICBM...

digitalscream · July 2016

Here's a good demo of it - probably the closest to what I've heard in the room:

Nikko · July 2016

Nice one, thanks again. Got some thinking to do...

RedRabbit · July 2016

@digitalscream I've been looking to buy a custom 22 for a while now but the UK store seems to have been out of stock for an age now and I'm refusing to pay the extra to get it from Thomann (when I last checked it was around £60 more which, on a £260 amp seems an awful lot).

I don't suppose you have any inside scoop on when the UK might be getting some stock, do you?

digitalscream · July 2016

@RedRabbit - sadly, no. Since I got the Victory, I've been somewhat out of the loop on the Jet City stuff. You could always just give 'em a call and ask

RedRabbit · July 2016

Cheers. I've tried emailing them but I'm yet to get a response. I'll give them a call tomorrow.

peteri · July 2016

Right - back online! I have had both, I found the Egnator very Fendery - and the master volume just didn't work for me, bit all or nothing. But that might be me, the tweak options didn't make enough change either. But maybe I was expecting too much The Jet City JCA22h I've got for sale on here right now, has lasted the longest out of any amp I've owned for the past 12 years (I change a lot!) Key change for me was changing the valves, I changed the first pre-amp for a much lower gain valve, put better quality in the other pre-amp socket and changed the phase splitter valve too. Revolutionized the amp beyond what was reasonable - 'clean' channel now does a very nice clean up to Malcolm Young crunch when absolutely dimed and dirty channel takes over from there. For me - just a much more enjoyable amp than the Egnator - but of course that's just me. (I'm only selling because I'm in a small flat now and don't have the space btw). PM me if you want a bargain, I've got it for sale at £120 plus postage. Ungigged and mint with the box, pedal etc. Any less than that - and it can stay in the cupboard! Pete

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Egnater Tweaker or Jet City JCA22H

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